KUALA LUMPUR, 3 OCTOBER 2013 – OCBC Cycle Malaysia 2014, the third edition of the nation’s largest mass participation cycling event on fully-closed public roads, is set to offer participants a range of thrilling ride categories when it returns on 17-19 January at Dataran Merdeka.

The official media launch took place today with the Minister of Youth and Sports, Yang Berhormat Encik Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar, gracing the event as Guest of Honour.

The Minister was joined by three special cycling guests: current national cyclists Loh Sea Keong and Ahmad Haidar bin Anuawar, as well as young six-year-old cyclist Wan Athea Nadyn; to celebrate the ‘present and future’ of Malaysian cycling.

Announcing the launch of registration today, Spectrum Worldwide, the event owner and organiser, along with title sponsor OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhad, said OCBC Cycle Malaysia 2014 is committed to continuing the country’s proud cycling legacy and will be targeting 6,200 participants for the coming event.

“The response from Malaysians to OCBC Cycle Malaysia has been absolutely fantastic; we’ve grown from 3,500 to more than 5,000 riders in just two years,” said Mr. Chris Robb, Managing Director, Spectrum Worldwide.

“The addition of new categories allows us to safely grow the event and, due to popular demand, the event will be returning to Dataran Merdeka where OCBC Cycle Malaysia first took place in 2011. We are working very closely with the local authorities to offer participants their safest and most enjoyable cycling experience yet,” he added.

OCBC Cycle Malaysia 2014 will offer up to 10 ride categories, ranging in distance from 100 metres to 48 kilometres, providing a platform for cyclists of all ages and abilities to enjoy the thrill of riding through the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

The Tricycle Ride, which spans a distance of 100m, is designed for children between the ages of two and five, while The Kids’ Ride (5.5km) is open to children from five to nine years old. The Junior Challenge, a 30-minute ride for those aged 10 to 12 years, will provide for a more competitive category for aspiring cyclists in a mini-Criterium format.

Yang Berhormat Encik Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar, registering as the first participant to participate in the OCBC Cycle Malaysia in January next year.

The various kids’ rides will be staged on the Saturday, alongside The Ultimate Foldies Challenge (UFC); a new category for 2014 which caters to Malaysia’s ever-growing Foldies community. The UFC will be staged in a series of heats before the fastest Foldies qualify for the grand finale and the right to be crowned Malaysia’s ‘Fastest Foldie’. Prizes will also be awarded to the ‘Best Dressed Foldie’ on the day.

Saturday’s action will then come to a close with the various amateur Criterium categories (Masters’, Women’s Open and Men’s Open) before the region’s elite take to the track and put on a master-class of bike-handling, sprinting and teamwork as the compete for the title of OCBC Cycle Malaysia 2014 Elite Criterium Champion. Additional details around the Elite Criterium will be announced in the coming weeks.

Sunday will start bright and early for the event’s longest ride category, with The Challenge (48km) flagging off ahead of The Community Ride (24km). Within The Challenge will be The Corporate Charity Challenge (48km), a special category open to teams of four who raise a minimum of MYR 5,000 in support of any one of the event’s three official charities.

The Foldies Community Ride (24km) will be the final category to flag off, bringing to a close the ride schedule for OCBC Cycle Malaysia 2014.

According to Mr Jeffrey Chew, Director & CEO of OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhad, OCBC Cycle Malaysia has quickly emerged to become the premier community event on Malaysia’s cycling calendar, whether for individuals, families or cycling clubs.

“As we witnessed at today’s launch, an added focus has been placed on developing our young cyclists and we are proud to play a role in continuing the sport’s growth from the ground up.”

“The first two editions proved to be highly successful but, even so, the OCBC Bank philosophy challenges us to continually set higher standards for ourselves and we will be working diligently alongside Spectrum Worldwide to ensure OCBC Cycle Malaysia 2014 reaches even greater heights,” he said.

Mr. Chew also urged cyclists to form teams of four and register for The Corporate Charity Challenge (48km) in order to help provide much-needed funds for the event’s three official charities: The Budimas Charitable Foundation, The National Autism Society of Singapore (NASOM) and The National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM).

“OCBC Cycle Malaysia is founded on the principle of giving back to the community. Through The Corporate Charity Challenge, we encourage as many people as possible to join us in this special ride category and cycle for a cause in 2014,” he said.

As well as all the cycling action at OCBC Cycle Malaysia 2014, participants and spectators can enjoy a huge range of sports-related products, services and entertainment at the official Sports & Lifestyle Expo. Located at Dataran Underground, the Sports & Lifestyle Expo will keep the entire family entertained throughout the event and is set to offer exclusive deals for OCBC Cycle Malaysia participants and spectators alike.

OCBC Cycle Malaysia 2014 is supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and endorsed by the Malaysian National Cycling Federation.

Spectrum Worldwide will again work closely with Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) and the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) to facilitate the highest possible safety standards for participants.